Chapter Eight
Crashes and squeals of delight came from the playroom. Sirius sat at the kitchen table reading the prophet. Remus kept looking to the playroom. "Don't you think we should check on them?" He asked.
"We can hear them can't we?" Sirius said, not even lifting his eyes from the paper.
"Well yes, but it sounds like they are destroying the house." Remus said, his brow furrowed in concern.
"As long as we can hear them, we know they're alive." Sirius stated simply. "I see no need to check on them unless I hear someone crying or the screams of delight turn to terror."
"You're a great parent, Sirius. If I have children, I hope I'm just like you." Remus said sarcastically.
Something sounding like glass breaking came from the playroom and all of a sudden, the children went silent. Sirius tossed the paper aside and took out his wand. When Remus went to follow him, he pushed him back into his seat. "Stay." He ordered quietly.
He walked back to the playroom slowly. He heard Brielle giggle but he was still concerned. He went to the doorway to see something that most definitely did not belong in the playroom. A person wrapped in a dark cloak with a skull like mask concealing their face. A death eater and they had Brielle in their arms.
Sirius pressed himself against the wall, hoping that he wasn't seen for the death eater may react quickly if thought he was endangered. Sirius took in the situation. He shot a protective shield at the end of the hallway so that if Remus decided to come after him, he wouldn't be able to. He then looked back into the playroom, locating Harry. He was latched on to the rocking horse Remus had bought him. He would have to choose quickly, to save Harry or to save Brielle.
He chose both.
Sirius pointed his wand at the death eater. "Rictumsempra!" He shouted. The death eater was thrown backwards and in the process, he dropped Brielle. "Arresto Momentum!" He pointed the wand at Brielle then, who fell gracefully to the floor rather than surely breaking her neck. "Accio Rocking Horse!" Harry, upon the rocking horse was brought to him. He picked him up and pushed him into the bathroom, shutting the door and placing a protecting shield on it as well. He turned his focus back to the death eater, who was beginning to stir. He quickly raced into the room and grabbed Brielle. He kept his wand at the death eater. "Don't you dare stand up." He snarled. "How did you find this place?"
"Sirius," The death eater spoke, his voice surprisingly high for a man. "Sirius, it's me." He reached up for his mask and Sirius tightened his grip on Brielle. The death eater took off his mask to reveal their face and it was Clarissa!
"Clarissa? What in the unholy fuck are you doing here in that?" He said, keeping his wand pointed at her. "You're a death eater? You've been spying on me this whole time haven't you? You've been spying on the ministry!"
"Sirius, you've got it all wrong!" Clarissa said, real fear apparent in her eyes. "This was a test, just a test!"
"You little b- what? A test?" Sirius said. "What are you talking about?"
"A test, only a test, the last one!" Clarissa said. "You passed!"
"WHAT TEST?"
"To see if you are or aren't involved with the dark lord, to see if you can really be a father and you passed Sirius," Clarissa said quickly. "I will no longer be visiting you. You are officially free, Sirius. As long as you don't kill me."
Sirius lowered his wand. "I'm free?" He said offering his hand to Clarissa.
"Yes," She said taking his hand. "You're free. Can I hug you goodbye or are you going to hex me?" She said with a smile.
Sirius pulled her into a one armed hug. "Thank you. For everything."
Clarissa kissed his cheek. "No, Sirius, thank you. For giving two orphans a loving home." She said and then apparated.
Sirius hurried to the bathroom and retracted the shield so he could get to a sobbing Harry. He pulled him into his arm. "It's alright, Harry." He said comfortingly. "Sirius didn't mean to upset you."
Harry sobbed something along the lines of 'not done anything wrong' into Sirius cloak and Sirius set down Brielle to take the boy into both his arms, kissing his cheek. "I know, I know you didn't," Sirius cooed. "You're not in trouble, sweet boy." He rubbed Harry's back soothingly and watched as Brielle ran full force into the shield at the end of the hallway. She fell over onto her back and Sirius couldn't resist a chuckle and removed the shield from the hallway.
Harry on the other hand, all tears forgotten began to giggle hysterically at Brielle's distress. Sirius put him down and unable to keep from smiling attempted to tell Harry that it wasn't funny. Though, even Brielle began to giggle.
He was free now, what wasn't there to laugh about?
